NEW YORK (AP) — Taylor Swift has officially announced her 12th studio album, titled “The Life of a Showgirl.” The announcement came shortly after a countdown timer on her website concluded at 12:12 a.m. on a Tuesday. While no specific release date has been disclosed, the site indicated that vinyl editions of the album will be shipped before October 13.

Speculation about Swift's next album has been rampant among her devoted fanbase for some time. On the day preceding the announcement, Taylor Nation—an official division of Swift's marketing team—shared a TikTok slideshow featuring 12 images, captioned with “Thinking about when she said ‘See you next era…’.” Swift donned the color orange in each of the images, leading fans to anticipate a thematic connection.

A limited vinyl edition of the album will be available in “Portofino orange glitter,” as per a pre-order page on Swift’s official site. Additionally, fans can also pre-order a special cassette edition of the album.

Swift's announcement was coordinated with subtle hints from the “New Heights” podcast, hosted by her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, and his brother, Jason Kelce, a former center for the Eagles. Twelve minutes prior to Swift's album reveal, the podcast posted an orange-themed image on social media featuring a mysterious silhouette, believed by many to represent Swift.

Following the album announcement, the “New Heights” podcast teased Swift's appearance on their show, featuring a video snippet of her revealing the album from a briefcase. The actual album artwork was obscured, maintaining an air of mystery surrounding the release.

"The Life of a Showgirl" marks Swift’s first new release since her album “The Tortured Poets Department,” which was announced during the 2024 Grammy Awards and launched in conjunction with her record-setting tour that has generated over $2.2 billion across five continents, officially making it the highest-grossing tour to date.

This new album is particularly significant as it represents Swift's first release since regaining control over her complete body of work. In May, Swift revealed she had acquired her recording catalog from Big Machine Records, formerly owned by Shamrock Capital, though she did not disclose the purchase amount. This move aligns with her ongoing efforts to reclaim her music rights, having been involved in a highly publicized dispute regarding her early albums.

Over the past few years, Swift has embarked on a project to re-record her first six albums in a bid to regain control over her musical legacy. This initiative was sparked by the controversial acquisition of her early works by Scooter Braun, the CEO of Hybe America. To date, Swift has released four re-recorded albums, each formatted as "Taylor's Version." These releases have introduced new material, including songs “from the vault,” and incorporated visual elements that add depth to her artistic narrative.

The "Taylor’s Version" albums have enjoyed immense commercial success, consistently debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. The first two re-recorded albums—“Fearless (Taylor’s Version)” and “Red (Taylor’s Version)”—were released in 2021, followed by two more. Swift's latest re-recording, “1989 (Taylor’s Version),” made its debut in October 2023, just four months after the release of “Speak Now (Taylor's Version).” This year also saw Swift become the woman with the most No. 1 albums in history, further solidifying her position in the music industry.

With her latest album announcement, Swift continues to build excitement among fans while reminding the world of her vast influence in the music landscape.